Waistbands for nether-garments



Sept. 12, 1961 J. G. RowAN wAIsTBANDs FOR NETHER-GARMENTS Filed NOV. 24, 1958 m G B T5 IN V EN TOR. JOHN G. ROWAN ATT Y.

2,999,246 WAISTBANDS FR hlElHER-GARll/,IENTS .lohn G. IRowan, Clayton, Mo., assigner to Elder Manufacturing Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri `Filed Nov. 24, 1958, Ser. No. 776,065 i Gaim. (ci. 2 221) This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements in nether-garments, such as trousers r skirts, and, more particularly, to a novel waistband construction which permits quick, convenient size adjustment and continuously flexible conformity to the wearers waistline when the garment is worn.

In skirts and trousers, it is customary to enlarge or reduce the size of the waistband in fitting the garment to the wearer. Not only is this tailoring operation necessary when the garment is irst purchased, but quite often the wearer may gain or lose weight before the garment is worn out and the waistband must be altered accordingly. This need for subsequent alteration is particularly frequent in the case of childrens clothing, inasmuch as children rapidly grow out of their clothes, so to speak. Moreover, girth sizes change over a narrow, but, nevertheless, appreciable range from time to time during each day. For instance, after a large meal, a persons waistline size may increase by as much as an inch and, contrariwise, just prior to a meal or following a period of strenuous exercise, the waistline size may decrease by a similar amount.

lt is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide a nether-garment having an adjustable and flexible waistband construction.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a garment of the type stated in which the waistband can be adjusted for size quickly, conveniently, and over a comparatively wide range.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a garment of the type stated which is simple and economical in construction.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawing- FIG. l is a fragmentary perspective view of a pair of trousers having a waistband constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 2 2 of FIG. l;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are fragmentary sectional views taken along lines 3 3 and 4-4, respectively, of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the interior side of the waistband.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention, A designates a pair of trousers having the usual legs 1, 2, connected by a crotch 3, fly 4, and torso-encircling bodyeportion S, constructed in the conventional manner. Stitched to, and extending around, the upper margin m of the body-portion 5 is a waistband B comprising an inner band 6 of fabric lining,

an intermediate or reinforcing band 7 of coarsely woven reinforcing fabric, and an outer or facing band 8 preferably of the same material as used in the main portions of the garment. Of course, if the garment is a ladies skirt, this outer band 8 could be made of a material having contrasting color or texture for purposes of ornamentation. The bands 6 and 8, are folded over at lthe top and the top of the band 7 is enclosed within the turned-over fold of band 8, the three bands `6, 7 and 8 being then sewed together in a seam s; the bands 6 and 8 are also folded over at the bottom and the bottom of band 7 is enclosed within the turned-over fold of band 6, the three bands 6, 7, and 8 being then sewed together in a lower seam, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, thereby creating a tubular space x within the waistband B.

Stitched at one end to the bands 6, 7, and extending freely and flatwise along the interior face f of the reinforcing band 7, on each side of the garment approximately over the hips, are lengths of flat elastic webbing 9, which are, in turn, stitched at their free ends to loops 10 formed of cloth tape. The loops 10 project through slits l1 formed in the bands 6, '7, and also extend rearwardly along the interior face f of the waistband B, as shown in FIGS. l and 6. The external ends of the loops 1G are so constructed as to form buttonholes 12 adapted for optional enga-gement with buttons 13, 14, which are sewed to the interior Vface f of the waistband B in spaced relation to the normal position of the buttonholes 12 when the pieces of elastic webbing 9 are unstretched. By buttoning one loop 10 to the nearest button 13 and leaving the other loop l0 unbuttoned, it is possible to reduce the waistband size one increment. Similarly, by buttoning both loops lilv to the remote buttons 14, it is possible to reduce the waistband size four increments and, obviously, by using intermediate combinations, it is possible to obtain intermediate sizes. Moreover, in any adjusted position, the waistband B will give or yield flexibly within the limits of elasticity of the pieces of webbing 9 so as to allow the waistband B to give with the body movements and girth-expansion of the wearer.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the waistbands for nether-garments may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A nether-garment including a tubular waistband having front and rear centerlines lying along and dening the crotch-plane of the nether garment, an outer band and an inner band, said outer and inner bands each being folded over inwardly both at the top and at the bottom and being mutually secured in the region of their folds, thereby dening a tunnel, a reinforcing member disposed between the top fold of the outer band and the bottom fold of the inner band and being secured within said folds, an elastic member disposed between said reinforcing band and said outer band and being secured in place in its inner end portion to said reinforcing and inner bands, the other or opposite end of said elastic member being free, said elastic member being attached at a position on the waistband which is approximately midway between the front and rear centerline of the waistband, said reinforcing band and said inner band each being provided with a common slit, said elastic member extending rearwardly between said reinforcing band and said outer band with its free end located a substantial distance forwardly of the common slit and being of such length as to be wholly within the waistband, fastening means on the free end of said elastic section projecting freely through said slit, said fastening means being of less Width than said elastic member, and means secured to the waistband ad jacent to the mid-portion of the rear of said waistband for engagement with the fastening means of said section when said section is stretched.

elastic References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,642,483 Bloomenthal Sept. 13, 1927 2,298,381 Horwitz Oct. 13, 1942 2,749,556 Lampkowitz June 12, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 420,940 Great Britain Feb. 5, 1934 

